President Donald Trump on Monday warned that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25% tariff on all trade with the United States, as Washington weighs its response to escalating unrest in Iran.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said: “Effective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a Tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America.”
Tariffs are paid by US importers of goods from affected countries. Iran, a member of the OPEC oil producing group, has been under heavy US sanctions for years and exports much of its oil to China. Turkey, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and India are also among its major trading partners.
Trump added: “This Order is final and conclusive,” without offering further details.
There was no official documentation on the White House website outlining the policy, its legal basis, or whether the tariffs would apply to all of Iran’s trading partners. The White House did not respond to requests for comment.
China reacted sharply, with its embassy in Washington criticising Trump’s approach and warning of retaliation. The embassy said China would take “all necessary measures” to protect its interests and opposed “any illicit unilateral sanctions and long arm jurisdiction.”
A spokesperson added on X: “China’s position against the indiscriminate imposition of tariffs is consistent and clear. Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners, and coercion and pressure cannot solve problems.”
Japan and South Korea, both of which agreed trade deals with the US last year, said they were closely monitoring developments. South Korea’s trade ministry said: “We … plan to take any necessary measures once the specific actions of the US government become clear.”
Japan’s Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masanao Ozaki said Tokyo would “carefully examine the specific content of any measures as they become clear, as well as their potential impact on Japan, and will respond appropriately.”
The tariff threat comes as Iran faces its largest anti government protests in years, following last year’s 12 day war with US ally Israel and US air strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities in June.
Trump has said the US may meet Iranian officials and that he is in contact with Iran’s opposition, while increasing pressure on Tehran’s leadership and threatening military action.
Iran said on Monday it was keeping communication channels open with Washington as Trump considers his response to what officials describe as one of the gravest challenges to clerical rule since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Demonstrations that began over economic hardship have grown into calls for the fall of the clerical establishment. US based rights group HRANA said it had verified 599 deaths since protests began on December 28, including 510 protesters and 89 security personnel.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday: “Diplomacy is always the first option for the president.”
During his second term, Trump has frequently threatened or imposed tariffs over countries’ ties with US adversaries and trade practices he views as unfair. His trade policy now faces legal scrutiny, with the US Supreme Court considering whether to strike down a broad range of existing tariffs.
According to World Bank data, Iran exported goods to 147 trading partners in 2022.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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